An emotional Dylan Grimes has spoken for the first time about how close he was to leaving the Richmond hub and returning home during the season.

Grimes told Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show that he planned to stay on the Gold Coast for two weeks and then return home to deal with his winery business, which has been impacted by COVID.

"I haven't told anyone about this but I packed up life up here," Grimes told the Sunday Footy Show.

"The business on the farm, there was so much going on for us with COVID.

"We had staff we were trying to pay and in my mind, I thought I would be here for two weeks and then I would come back [to Melbourne]."

Grimes said this year's premiership would be the one that he "values the most" because of the sacrifices made by players, staff and fans in lockdown as well as the self-reflection the club had to undertake after Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones were sent home for a COVID breach.

"This is the one I value the most.

"I get a bit emotional thinking about it but the staff here have been nothing short of amazing.

"So many people have sacrificed so much to be here...just to be able to reward the fans in lockdown and the people who have given up so much to be able to do this for them is amazing.

"A lot of us were at rock bottom [after the Stack and Coleman-Jones incident].

"We are a proud club, we felt like we built a really strong culture. I can see why it didn't look like that on the outside and you start to think 'did we do it right? Are we doing the right thing as leaders?'

"Every challenge we had we came closer and closer and felt like we grew through it.

"By far the most rewarding season I have played in."